


The Night After Christmas

by writing_ramblings



Series: McReyes Winter Break 2018 [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Baking, Blackwatch Era, Christmas Dinner, M/M, McReyes Winter Break
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-02 22:44:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13327971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writing_ramblings/pseuds/writing_ramblings
Summary: Jesse is used to staying at base during the holiday, but this year, Gabe can't get away, and both share moments, including making the usual Blackwatch Christmas dinner on the 26.





	The Night After Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> day two - baking

Everyone in Blackwatch had a reason to go back home this year. Usually, a few stay back due to missions, or their family visiting other members or other reasons. Jesse always stays since he joined five years ago because he had nowhere else to go. The first year was really lonely; even in Deadlock he was surrounded by people. The second year, a few stayed back to spend it with him, which honestly made him cry knowing he had made real friends and that they saw him enough already to stay. The third year was only him, Kimura, whose family was visiting another member, and Rainer, who got injured the day before. The trip spent it by Rainer’s bed, playing card and board games whole drinking eggnog and exchanged presents on Christmas morning. Usually by the 26th, the halls start filling up again, and that’s the night they have their Christmas dinner, because Gabriel wants it that way. He hardly takes days offs during the year and one of the reasons is so he can actually have Christmas vacation and spend it with his family. This year had been different. He couldn’t get away due to a last minute mission that had him, Jesse, Rainer and two other agents bolt out. Rainer and the other two were able to catch their flight after, but Reyes’ was lost and every Overwatch pilot was off duty by then.

Jesse thought his boss would be in a sour mood due to his tradition breaking, but if anything the halls were even more decorated than past years. Christmas music in English and Spanish played all through the day hours and there was always delicious treats on the kitchen counter. This is why Jesse spent most of that time in the recreation room, a place divided into a living room with a TV and a kitchenette. The dining room was next to it, a room with two big tables to fit the team, but they didn’t use that one to have their meals, they would settle on the coffee table while playing cards, or watching TV. It’s not the first time he sees Reyes laughing with a mouth fool, or that he shoves him so hard Jesse almost falls back, but it’s different. He sees him under the Christmas lights and ornaments, with a glee in his eyes Jesse imagines is the same one he shares when Gabriel’s with his family.

“How are the holidays with your family?” Jesse asks on Christmas Eve when they eat pork and a lot of sides.

“Massive, loud, with a lot of food and drinks,” Gabriel responds with a smile. “There’s music playing, like this. The smell of pernil y arroz con gandules is wild, I feel it on me even after I leave. It smells and it tastes incredible. Everybody dances, the kids play all day long and drop dead when it’s time to leave. And the tree is barricade by gifts underneath.”

Jesse chuckles and looks at his plate, he can imagine all of it. Colorful, and alive. “Maybe I can crash in sometime.”

Gabriel doesn’t say anything for a second, “I’ve thought about bringing you.”

Jesse looks up at him, “You have?”

Gabriel nods, “Doesn’t seem fair that I’m surrounded by all that and you’re here, mostly alone.”

“I mean, I’ve had Rainer, Kimura and a few others, but I agree. It gets lonely sometimes when they settle on their phones to talk to their families or open presents from them. I guess it will feel the same if I went with ya, though.”

Gabriel waves him off, “If I let them know, they’ll make you feel like family.”

The thought of being surrounded by Reyes, by spending time with Gabe in a different environment, without hostility or the smell of blood stirs something in Jesse. It’s soothing to his heart, makes it feel like it leaped out to reach for Gabriel. He clears his throat and puts down his plate. “Do you wanan exchange gifts now?”

Gabriel looks at the Christmas tree and sees two gifts that had been laid there, one since the night before, and a second since that afternoon. “You didn’t have to.”

“I knew you would give me something,” Jesse responds as he gets up to grab both presents. He keeps the one addressed to him and gives the other to Gabriel. He was never patient with opening these so he’s the first to pull out a nice pair of dark brown boots with nice yellow design at the bottom and silver spurs. “Aw, boss, they’re great! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” Reyes answers as he unwraps his own and Jesse taps his feet on the floor, waiting. Gabriel laughs when the tapping quickens and Jesse knows he’s taking his time on purpose. The man laughs louder when he reveals a black box, with golden assets. It’s a kit of his favorite whiskey with a limited edition bottle design for Christmas and two glasses with golden rims and ‘Reyes’ written in elegant, golden letters. “Jesse,” Gabriel says as he opens the box and takes out one of the glasses and admires the design. “I love it.”

Jesse doesn’t catch what Gabe’s says next, his breath slips out of his mouth to the brighten smile on his commander’s face and the lights twinkling in his eyes. If he hadn’t fallen in love with the older man before, he has now. He can’t tell if it’s the perfect Christmas gift, or the worse.

\----

His hands are deep into bread dough, and his cheeks brushed with flour. Reyes looks almost the same, but his fingers are tinted with different colors from the cookie icing. When Jesse woke up, Gabriel was already in the kitchen, ready to prepare food for Blackwatch, including lunch, snacks, drinks and their usual dinner. He usually calls a caterer for this since he’s tired from the holidays to make it himself, but this year was different, and he wanted it to be special. They were baking gingerbread cookies, brownies and lemon cakes.

The eggnog was already in the fridge, ready to drink, and most of the snacks were done; Gabriel was just finishing up the cookies. Meanwhile, Jesse was following a recipe for an oatmeal honey bread Gabriel’s aunt does and he loves. Gabriel was going to start making cream cheese filled pumpkin bread after and then they will start with the salads to keep them fresh in the fridge. When those were in the oven, they started making pizzas for lunch: one roasted garlic, chicken spinach, another philly cheese steak, margherita and veggie pizza. When the first two were ready, the first six agents arrived, and started grabbing from the snacks and bread already set up on the table. They spoke almost at the same time and asked Gabriel and Jesse about their holiday while they finished up the other two pizzas. When those two were done, a few slices were already missing from the first pair. More agents had arrivd, enough to fill one dining table. Gabriel sat at one end and Jesse a few seats away from him, but by how much the other agents talked to him, keeping his attention away, it felt like a world apart.

Gabriel excused himself first and Jesse followed him with his gaze until he left the room, then he lost himself in conversation and helped cleaned up the table. Most of the agents went to settle back into their rooms or called family members to let them know they arrived safely. Around four in the afternoon, Jesse found Gabriel in the kitchenette again, with more ingredients in front of him, ready to be used and turn into something amazing. It surprised Jesse such little space could do wonders.

“Need help?” Jesse asks, leaning over the counter and looking over all the spices lined up.

“You’ve done enough, Jesse. Relax and spend some time with your teammates.”

Jesse shrugs and looks over his shoulder at Kimura, Rainer, Shannon and Taylor playing UNO on the coffee table. “I spend enough time with this lot. Not much with you.” When he looks back at his commander, he catches his face shifting to something warm. “And I like it.”

Gabriel huffs a laugh, “Alright. Go down to the cafeteria kitchen and get me two yellow bags that are in the freezer. Then we can get started.”

Jesse solutes him, “yessir.”

\---

He returns with the bags, which Gabriel didn’t mention are quite heavy. When Gabriel opens them, he pulls out a turkey, ham and a rib eye roast. He puts Jesse on turkey duty, since it seems like the simplest one. It doesn’t have much by the recipe Gabriel hands him. He looks over the other notes and finds out the ham will be honeyed and the rib eye will be turned into a rosemary and garlic roast beef. His mouth waters already.

While they work together, Gabriel shares stories of his past family holidays. He mentions how his sisters placed a mistletoe on his hat ones when he was entering his teen years and got him a lot of embarrassing kisses from cousins, aunts and his mother every time they saw him. Back then, he was on a loner phase and hated being there. He confesses his ashamed of that and the thought of wanting to be away from his family. He recalls the day his older sister, Delilah, was getting married. She really wanted it and her now husband waited almost a year to propose to her in one of these gatherings, knowing family meant a lot to her. It was a normal festivity, until the husband kneeled in the middle of a dance. Then they had another thing to celebrate.

The more Gabriel speaks, the more Jesse aches to one day be a part of these stories. To be told who he is through Gabriel’s mouth, for his voice to describe how he felt when Jesse met his mother and sisters, and ate until the last crumb of food was licked clean from his plate. Maybe next year he will be involved in a story, hopefully a happy one.

Gabriel also put him in charge of baking more bread, this time garlic. He was massaging the dough, getting it ready to separate it in rolls, when Gabriel stepped behind him, pretty close. “Gentle, Jesse.” The cowboy swallows hard as one of Gabriel’s hands covers his and slows down his movement, but Jesse swears Gabriel can feel his pulse speeding up in his wrist. “You did well earlier.” The praise doesn’t help the knot in Jesse’s throat as he tries to breathe.

“Thank you, sir,” he mumbles, lowering his head. When Gabriel pulls away, he wants to mess up again, do something fast just so Gabriel can say those words in his ear again. Or do something really great just to hear the pretty praises.

The table was set with all the delicious smelling meats, along with the warm, garlic bread Jesse made, which looked a little burnt, but Gabriel still told him it was good, baked mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, mushroom chestnut soup, cranberry almond spinach salad and strawberry salad, and steamed vegetables. All the agents were here, in exception of one or two, which is normal, and they begin to eat after everyone has served the first plate. The room becomes a mess of words, and Jesse can hardly hear the clatter of plates and silver wear, less Gabriel’s voice.

Gabriel remains in his chair after finishing up, while the agents gather all the dirty plates. Four offer to wash the dishes, while two take care of the leftovers. But to everyone’s surprise, Gabriel pulls out a chocolate cake and a velvet cake and leaves them on the counter for those who can still manage more food. He takes a velvet piece, while Jesse knocks himself to the chocolate. Rainer, Kimura, Shannon and Taylor also grab a piece and a few others, while the rest call it a night, retrieving to their rooms with a full stomach and sleepy eyes.

Kimura, Rainer and Jesse are the ones left in the rec room, munching off a few leftover snacks and talking about their holidays. Jesse lets them do the talking, until they yawn so much they can hardly speak a full sentence. They finally decide to retreat and Jesse tells them to go ahead, while he takes care of the plates they’ve used. Once he cleans them, and it’s ready to call it a night, Gabriel walks in, with the bottle Jesse gifted him and the two glasses with ice.

Jesse raises an eyebrow, “What’s the occasion?”

“I just thought you deserve it,” Gabriel responds as he places both glasses down and fills them up. “You helped a lot today.”

Jesse shrugs, but still accepts the drink, “Not like I had anythin’ better to do.”

“You could’ve left base, you know? You aren’t chained here or have a collar that will shock you if you walk out the doors.”

“Thought about it, but couldn’t think of anything to do. Besides, it was fun to make all that food. S’more that I’ve seen in a long time.”

Gabriel chuckles, “Yeah, guess I’m so used to it, I still wanted to see it.”

“And it’s not bad, you fed everyone well.” They sip from their glasses almost at the same time. “Woo, good stuff!”

“One of the little pleasures in life,” Gabriel comments with a smirk, that Jesse can’t help noticing.

“What are the others?” Jesse asks cheekily.

“Good food,” Gabriel responds, but there’s still a wicked spark in his eyes. “Music that won’t let you stop moving.”

“I like the won’t stop moving part,” Jesse comments.

Gabriel laughs low, a sound that rattles his chest, “me too.”


End file.
